Clutch for tractor mounted hayrakes



Dec. 26, 1950 J. B. PHILLIPS 2,535,812

CLUTCH FOR TRACTOR MOUNTED HAYRAKES Filed Aug. 14, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l M5555 5. PH/LL/Ps INVENTOR ATTORNEY Dec. 26, 1950 J. B. PHILLIPS CLUTCH FOR TRACTOR MOUNTED HATRAKES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 14, 1948 JESSE 5. PH/LL/PS INVEN'IOR TTORNEY Dec. 26, 1950 J. B. PHILLIPSA CLUTCH FOR TRACTOR MOUNTED HAYRAKES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 14, 1948 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 26, 1950 CLUTCH FOR TRACTOR MOUNTED HAYRAKES Jesse B. Phillips, Fort Worth, Tex.

Application August 14, 1948, Serial No. 44,292

2 Claims.

This invention relates to tractor drawn hay rakes, and has for its primary object the provision of an eiiicient and inexpensive clutch for operating the rake by means of the tractor power takeoff.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction and means whereby the rake may be quicky lifted and lowered for arranging windrows and for punching hay.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an improved clutch construction capable of economical manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic release for a clutch mounted on the tractor and connected with a hay rake whereby the clutch is automatically disengaged when the rake is raised higher than necessary, and whereby the rake is returned to its raking position.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a clutch assembly embodying the features of the present invention, and showing the same attached to a hay rake, shown'in partial section. The hay rake and clutch are mounted on a tractor, shown by means of dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the clutch assembly shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on lines 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on lines 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a broken sectional and elevational view of the clutch assembly and particularly showing the relation between the reel, the lifting arm, and the throwout mechanism of the automatic release.

Figure 6 is an elevational and broken sectional View of the throwout mechanism, and illustrating the lifting cable positioned therethrough.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the clutch and rake, and additionally showing a latch arrangement for holding the teeth of the rake in their lowered position during the raking operation.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the rake illustrated in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged elevational and sectional view of the latch illustrated in Figure '7 and showing its associated parts in latched position. The disengaged position of the latched part is illustrated by means of dotted lines.

The form of the invention shown includes a pair of side members I attached to the draw bars 2 of a tractor 3, and an angle iron 4 is attached across the ends of the side members I 1 to provide a stationary frame member. One of the sides of the frame member 4 is vertically disposed and the other side of said member is horizontally disposed and directed beneath the side member I. A tool bar 5 of angle iron is positioned in back to back relation relative to the vertical portion of the angular frame members :l and is so arranged to dispose the lower hori- Zontal sides of the member 4 and the bar 5 in a horizontal plane, as shown in Figures 1 and 7. The upper edges of the frame member 4 and tool bar 5 are formed to provide hinges 6 whereby the spaced teeth 'l attached to the said tool bar `may be raised by means hereinafter described. Horizontal stripper bars S are secured to the lov/er surface of the frame member 4 and extend rearwardly between the teeth l.

The clutch assembly Si, illustrated in detail in Figures 2 through 5, includes a cylindrical housing El! having a tapered forward end and a iange lI therearound. Holes I2 are formed through the flange II to receive the stud bolts i3 around the power takeoff I4. Nuts l3a on the studs I3 secure the housing I0 in place. The end of the housing lu, opposite the flange Il, is covered by means of a cap I5 held in place by bolts Iii threaded into the housing body, and which cap has a rearwardly projecting centrally located boss Il which provides a bearing for one end of a tubular shaft I8 splined at its other end for engagement on the power takeoff I 4.

A combination reel I9 and cup 2li are mounted for free rotation on the tubular shaft I8, and which cup is rearwardly directed for coaction with a clutch cone 2l secured on the said tu bular shaft by means of a key 22 engaged in a lreyway 23 in the said shaft. Annular spacers 2t are pressed into the tubular shaft I8 where they slidably support and align an actuating rod 25 extending outwardly through the boss I1 of the cap I5. The outer end of the rod 25 is pro vided with a flanged collar Zt which is retained in place by a nut il. The outer central end of the rod 25 receives a grease cup 2'8 for communicating with a central opening 2S! communieating with the interior of the tubular shaft IS by means of a lateral outlet ct between the spacers 24.

The inner end of the rod 25 has a pressure nger 3Q mounted for rotation thereon, and which finger extends outwardly in opposite directions from its center through openings 3i in the tubular shaft IB. The finger Sii is retained on the rod 25 by means of a shoulder 32 at its innermost end. A compression spring 33 is mounted on the rod 25 between the finger 30 and the innermost spacer 24, and a friction washer 34 is loosely positioned around the tubular shaft i9 and between the linger 3i) and the inner end of the reel i9.

The described clutch assembly is for raising the teeth l of the rake assembly, and although the inventionis capable; of various means for connecting thesaid clutch. with the said rake, the illustrated form of the invention provides a vertical lift arm 35 secured to the tool bar 5 by means of an angle bracket 36. A clevis 3l is pivotally mounted on the upper end of the lift arm 35, and, in turn, is connected with one end of a cable 39. The other end of the cable 39 is wound on the reel I9 after passing through an opening 39 in the clutch housing it. A safety throwout itil, comprising a body el, a finger Il? depending through the housing opening 39 and slid-ably contacting the inner flange of the reel I9, and a rearwardly projecting eye is pivoted opposite the said eye on ears [it integral with the clutch housing lil. A compression spring e' isV mounted around the cable 39 and -is attached at one end to the clevis el. rEhe spring d5 is of such a length that it will contact the projecting leye i3 of the throwout i9 and causethe throwout finger i2 to bear against the inner flange of the reel i9, and disengage the cup 29 from the cone 2l.

A pair of ears ifi integral with the face of the cap i5 and positioned near the edge thereof pivotally support a lever di, the inner end of which is engaged with the iianged collar 2t. It will be noted in Figure 2 that the arrangement of the iianged collar 29, lever dll, and nut 2i' retaining the said collar, are arranged for moving the rod outwardly. The last described operation moves the shaft finger inwardly against the fricton ring 3Q, which, in turn, moves the reel i9 and cup 29, whereby the latter engages the cone 2l mounted on the tubular shaft i8.

The lever 't7 is actuated by another lever 5S pivotally mounted on the tractor 3 and provided with a linking rod i9 therebetween.

The described rake assembly may be provided with a latch 59 pivotally mounted on a bracket 5i depending from the frame member il. The latch 59 is adapted to engage the lower end of the lifting arm t5. As shown in Figure 9, a spring 52 is mounted on the frame member i and adapted to press the extending end of the latch 59 downwardly so as to normally urge the connecting end ofthe said latch upwardly to engage the lower end of the lifting arm 95. A bell crank 53 is pivotally mounted on the upper end of the lift arm and one end of which is connected with the extending end of the latch Sil by means of a connecting rod whereas the other end or the bell crank is attached' to the outer end of the cable 38 where the previously described compression spring 9 is attached.

In operation, the tractor 3 is driven forwardly with the rake teeth 'i in their down position for raking hay. To empty the rake, the hand lever 49' is actuated by the tractor operator, causing the connecting lever il to move a clutch rod 25 outwardly and thereby move the finger 39 and the friction ring 39 against the reel i9. The last referred' to operation engages the cup 29 with the driven cone 2l, causing the reel i9 to wind, and by reason of the connection of the cable 38 with the lifting arm 95, the rake teeth l are raised, asshown by dotted lines in Figure 1, to empty the hay therefrom. At this time the operator may disengage the cup 29 from the cone 2l by moving the hand lever it in the opposite direction from the direction for engaging the clutch, and thereby release the latter to let the teeth l fall and resume their raking position. However, if the operator does not operate the lever 48 in time to prevent the teeth 'i from rising above a determined level, the action of the compression spring l5 mounted on the cable iii` will contact the eye 43 of the throwout ll. By reason of the throwout finger positioned against the inner portion of the reel i9, the cup 29 is disengaged from the cone 2l, thereby releasing the said reel and allowing the rake teeth 'l to fall.

rlhe latch arrangement illustrated in Figures 7 and 9, by reason of its connection with the cable 38 through the bell crank 53 and connecting rod 54, releases the latch 59 from the lower end of the lifting arm 35 when the cable 33 is wound on the reel I9. Otherwise, the latch 59 maintains the teeth 'i in their lowered or raking position. When the teeth l are allowed tofall, the latch 59, by reason of its described shape and location, will again engage the lower end of the lifting arm 35.

The described form or the invention is not restrictive, but may be made in many ways within the scope of the 'appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A clutch for raising a hay rake pivotally mounted on a tractor having a power takeoff, the combination of a housing mounted over said power takeoff, a tubular shaft connected with said power takeoi and rotatably mounted within said housing, a cone secured on said tubular shaft, a cup and reel mounted for free rotation on said tubular shaft and adapted to engage said cone, a rod slidably positioned within the said tubular shaft andV extending beyond the end of the said housing opposite the said power takeoff, a linger carried by said rod and adapted to frictionally engage the end of the said reel for engaging said cup with said cone, and a cable wound on said reel and adapted to engage said rake for raising the latter.

2. Apparatus for raising a hay rake mounted on a tractor, the combination of a housing mounted over the power takeoofV said tractor, la clutch assembly'within said housing comprising a tubular shaft connected with said power takeoff, a combined reel and cup mounted for free rotation on said tubular. shaft, an actuating rod slidably mounted within said'tubular shaft, a cone rigidly secured on said tubular shaft and arranged to be engaged by said cup, means connecting said slidable rod with said cup for moving the latter along the said tubular shaft and engaging said cone, a cable wound on said reel, an opening in the side of said housing' above said reel through which said cable passes, a finger pivotally mounted in said opening and extending inwardly oi said housing and positioned to engage said reel, an eyelet in said finger through whichv said cable passes, and means carried by said cable and arranged for engaging said eyelet and thereby moving said finger to disengage said reel from said cone.

JESSE B. PHILLIPS.

The following references are of record in the le or" this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 922,323 OThayne May 18, 1999 1,738,924 Przybyszewski Dec. 10,1929 2,127,405 I-lall Aug. 16, 1938 2,271,591 Hickman Feb. 3, 1942 2,367,932 Dunn Jan. 23, 1945V 

